Before He Was Broken
by Lost November Sky
Summary: Everyone has an untold story. Mars Krupcheck wasn't always a murderer and a thief. The reason why he turned out the way he did wasn't just because of the trauma he experienced as a child... Hostage.
1. the first meeting

I always thought that it would be interesting to do a story about Marshall Krupcheck's past, before _Hostage_ takes place. So I wrote this story about a girl that he falls in love with, and you'll eventually see why he turns out to be a murderer and thief. Just so you know, he's not that way yet though. I'm assuming he's about 23 when _Hostage_ takes place, so here he's 21.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. None of them. Well, maybe Danielle and the other people I made up. But I DO NOT own Marshall or any of the other characters that were in **_**Hostage**_**, if I ever mention them.**

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . **

Danielle spun around too quickly and ran right into a dark-haired man, spilling her drink all over the front of his white shirt. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" she yelled so he could hear her over the music. He was startled at first but then he smiled and said "It's alright, it's fine."

But Danielle was blushing and she handed what was left of her drink to her friends who couldn't help but laugh. She kept saying, "I'm so sorry."

"Come on, let me help you clean that up." she said and took the man's hand pulled him through the crowd all the way to the back of the club. She stopped outside the women's restroom and poked her head in. No one was in there, so she pulled him in after her. The lighting in the bathroom was dim, but it was better than the dark club was.

Danielle grabbed some paper towels from the dispenser and started dabbing away at the man's shirt. Her face was almost completely red with embarrassment. "I'm _so_ sorry! I should've been watching where I was going."

He laughed. "It's alright. Shit happens." He had a deep voice; Danielle liked it.

As she knelt in front of him, trying to dry the beer on his shirt, he said, "I'm Marshall, by the way."

She looked him in the eyes. His shoulder-length black hair hung in his face, and the shadows made his face appear even more handsome. "I'm Danielle." she said, staring into his blue eyes.

He stared back into her green eyes that matched her short jade-green dress. She finally broke her eyes away and stood up. "I think that's about all I can do, I'm sorry. It won't stain."

"I know. It's not the first time I've spilled beer all over myself." he said grinning.

She smiled back. "I guess I owe you a drink." Marshall said as he made his way to the bathroom door.

"What? No, I owe you a drink if anything, I still can't believe I did that." she objected, following after him.

"Let me buy you one, I insist." Marshall said as he opened the door for Danielle. He put his hand on her back and led her through the mass of sweaty bodies once again. They made their way to the bar, and Danielle spotted her friends. They waved, but she stopped with Marshall at a pair of empty bar stools.

"What would you like?" he asked her.

"Ummm… I'll just have a beer," she said as she slid into the seat.

He ordered both of them one, and then sat down and looked at her. "You come here often?"

"Not really. My girlfriends and I come here maybe once a month. I'm usually too busy with school."

"School?" his eyes got wide as he realized that maybe she wasn't 18.

"College," she said quickly, noticing that he had become uneasy. "It's a pain in the ass."

Marshall relaxed. They were silent for a moment, and the bartender gave them their drinks. Danielle took a drink, but Marshall kept watching her. "What?" she asked, brushing her wavy brown hair out of her face, growing self-conscious under his stare.

"Nothing." he said and looked down at his drink before taking a swig.

"So what do you major in?" he asked her.

"Business law. But that's not really what I wish I was doing." she admitted.

He nodded, knowingly. "Let me guess, that's what your prestigious parents want."

Danielle smiled. She liked this guy, and not just because he was gorgeous. "Exactly."

"So what do you want to do?"

"Sing," her eyes lit up. "I want to be famous one day. I love to sing; I perform around here every now and then. It won't be long before a talent agent finds me. My parents think chasing after this dream is a waste of time."

She paused, looking at Marshall, who was once again staring at her. "What about you? Are you in college?" she asked glancing down at the counter.

He laughed. "College ain't my thing."

They sat there for a few more minutes after having finished their beers. "Want another one?" Marshall asked her, nodding at her empty glass.

Danielle shook her head. "Two's my limit. Thanks anyways though."

Marshall was warming up to her. "Not much of a drinker are you?"

"No."

"So what do you come here for then?"

"I like to dance." she said.

She looked at him. "Speaking of which, you like to dance?" She glanced towards the mass of sweaty bodies on the dance floor and started to get up.

"No." Marshall admitted. It wasn't that he didn't like to dance, it was just that he didn't want to make a fool of himself when Danielle realized that he couldn't dance to save his life.

Danielle thought about dragging him out onto the dance floor anyways, but decided against it. Her fiends were heading her way. "Dani, you ready to call it a night?" her roommate, Justine, asked her pulling on her arm.

Her other friend, Naomi, came up beside her, and eyed Marshall. "Why hello there," Naomi said to him flirtatiously.

"Hey," he nodded back at her, his eyes never leaving Danielle. Naomi noticed this, and she backed off. "Marshall, these are my friends, Justine and Naomi," Danielle introduced them.

He smiled at them. "So, you ready to go?" Justine asked her again. Danielle wondered why she was so anxious to get out of there.

"Yeah, I guess so." she said. "Thanks for the drink, Marshall. I'm really sorry about your shirt. It was nice meeting you."

Marshall grabbed her arm before she could leave. "Wait, could I get your number?"

She took a pen out of her purse and took Marshall's hand. A tingle went up her spine when she did so, and Marshall was obviously aroused as well as she held his hand in her own. She quickly wrote her number onto the back of his hand.

He smiled at her as she put the pen back into her purse. She smiled back at him. "I'll see you around?" she asked him.

"Yeah. I'll call you or something." Marshall said, reluctant to see her go.

She gave him a quick wave and then let her friends pull her through the crowd towards the door. "I can't believe you spilled your drink all over him!" Naomi yelled over the music.

"Shut up!" Danielle yelled back, and Naomi and Justine laughed.

They exited the club and stepped out into the cool night. As they headed towards Naomi's car, Danielle finally asked Justine why she was in such a hurry to leave. "My shoes are killing me!" she wined. "I don't think I could've lasted another minute in there!"

"I told you not to wear them," Danielle reminded her, referring to Justine's new stilettos.

"I know, but they're so sexy! You should've seen all the guys that were checking me out!"

Naomi chuckled but then quieted when Justine glared at her.

"So, what's going on between you and Marshall?" Naomi teased Danielle, quickly changing the subject.

"Well, he bought me a beer even though I insisted on buying him one. I like him. He's cute." she admitted.

"What's Travis gonna think about this?" Justine asked.

"It doesn't matter what he thinks! I dumped him a month ago." Danielle said angrily. She had been dating a guy named Travis for four months. He was the star quarterback of the football team at Stanford, and all the girls thought he was gorgeous. Her friends had loved him at the time, as well as her parents. Her parents especially love him because his family was well off as well. Everyone thought they were perfect together. The only problem was that he had cheated on her twice, so she dumped him. He just couldn't get over her though, and he kept calling and showing up at her apartment randomly, trying to win her back.

Justine and Naomi let it drop. They reached the car and drove back to Justine and Danielle's apartment. Marshall was the last thing Danielle thought about before she fell asleep that night.


	2. problems with Travis

I only got one review, but it really helped! Thank you so much, I'm glad you like it so far! Keep them coming!

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . **

Marshall and Danielle sat across from each other in a dimly lit Italian restaurant. Marshall had wanted to take her somewhere a bit more fancy, but it was all he was going to be able to afford. Marshall wasn't that poor, but he wasn't what you'd consider to be wealthy either.

Being that he never had any parents to support him, he had to raise himself. He was always in and out of trouble as a kid, and it had always been hard for him to get a good job because he had dropped out of high school early. The job that he had now at a local automotive repair shop didn't pay much, but he managed to survive.

Danielle on the other hand had come from a rich background. Her father was a big-time lawyer who wanted his studious daughter to follow in his footsteps. He didn't really need such a demanding job though, because Danielle's mother had inherited a large sum of money from her late father. Danielle had an older brother, Renkin, who was already on his way to becoming a surgeon.

Her parents sent her to Stanford, and had agreed to pay rent on her apartment that she shared with Justine, but they expected her to get a job to be able to pay for the other things that she needed.

The day after Marshall and Danielle had run into each other in the club, he had called her to ask if she wanted to get some coffee with him. She had been surprised that he was already asking her to go somewhere (she wouldn't exactly consider getting coffee a date) with him. But Danielle agreed and Marshall picked her up in his old pick-up truck.

They had sat in the downtown coffee shop that was full with college students, and had chatted about their lives a little more. Danielle hated to admit it, but she really liked Marshall. He wasn't afraid to open up to her, but yet he still had a mysterious air about him. Marshall was drawn to Danielle because she wasn't like all the other ditzy girls he knew. She was beautiful and smart without being arrogant about it.

After they had finished their coffee, Danielle had suggested that they could go for a walk along the beach. So they drove down to the shore and walked in the sand along the water with the late September sun shining above them. When it was time for Marshall to head to work, he took Danielle back to her apartment. Before she had even thanked him for the coffee, he asked her out to dinner.

Danielle couldn't help but say yes, so a couple days later Marshall picked her up and took her out to eat. They went back downtown to a popular restaurant and had had a good time. When Marshall took her home, Danielle resisted kissing him goodnight. She didn't want to seem easy. But after that night, she and Marshall had gone out a few more times, and every day they grew closer. They had already made it official that they were a couple, and word had gotten around to Travis.

So Marshall and Danielle sat across from each other in the Italian restaurant nearly two months after they had first met. Danielle was telling Marshall about one of her law classes and how she was considering dropping it. Marshall was listening patiently; his chin resting on his fist, his eyes intently locked on Danielle's.

Suddenly Danielle's cell phone started ringing. She dug through her purse until she found it at the bottom. "Sorry," she apologized to Marshall as she answered it.

"Hey babe. What're you up to?" a voice on the other end asked playfully.

Danielle sighed angrily. "Travis, I told you to stop calling me."

"Aw, but babe, I just miss hearing your voice so much. I was wondering if you wanted to go watch a movie or maybe come over to my place or something." Travis said.

"No. Don't try to sweet talk me. I told you we were over. I mean it Travis, you need to move on."

"Danielle, look, I'm just trying to patch things up between us. I'm sorry, ok? I love you and I made a mistake and I'd do anything to take it back. Please, just give me one more chance." he begged.

"I gave you a second chance after you cheated on me the first time, and you blew it and cheated on me again. I'm done talking about it. I have a new boyfriend."

Marshall had previously had a grin on his face, it was quickly replaced with a frown. "What's he want?" he asked.

Travis heard Marshall talking in the background. "Is that the little fagot?" he asked, obviously jealous. "Tell him he'd better stay away from you or I'll kick his ass!"

"Stop calling me Travis. I'm not your girl anymore." Danielle said and hung up on him.

"What did he say?" Marshall asked her.

"He thinks he can win me over again." she replied rolling her eyes.

Marshall wasn't too happy. "You let me know if he gives you anymore trouble, ok? I'll take care of him."

Danielle nodded. "Hopefully he got the hint this time."

They both grew quiet and went back to eating their dinners. After they were done they paid for the food and then they left. Marshall opened the truck door on Danielle's side for her. Her dress rose up a little, revealing a few extra inches of her tan thigh. This excited Marshall, and when he went around and got into the driver's seat, her reached over and kissed Danielle instead of starting the truck.

Danielle kissed him back and Marshall pulled her closer to him. He put one hand on her back, and the other one on her knee. While they were making out, his fingers started to creep up Danielle's leg and right when they reached her dress, she stopped him. "Not too far." she whispered and kissed him softly. Marshall looked out the windshield to find an older couple in the parking lot staring at them as they headed towards their own car.

They both pulled away from each other and Danielle sat up strait and coughed. The moment ruined, Marshall started the pick-up and pulled out onto the road. They drove back to Danielle's apartment only to find a surprise waiting for them in the parking lot outside her building. Travis was standing there, leaning up against his red sports car which was illuminated in the dark by the overhead streetlight.

"Damn it!" Danielle said and jumped out of the truck as soon as Marshall put it in park. He was close behind her as she strode over to Travis with her hands balled into fists at her sides. "Hey babe!" Travis called to her as he saw her heading his way.

He stood up as soon as he spotted Marshall behind her. "Is that him?" he asked, anger apparent in his voice.

"Travis, go home or I'll call the cops." Danielle told him.

Marshall stepped in front of her. "I'll take care of it baby."

"Yeah I'm sure you will." Travis smirked as he quickly rushed forward and punched Marshall in the face.

Marshall hadn't been expecting that, and he stumbled backwards a couple of steps. Danielle put her hands on his arm. "Oh my God Marshall! Are you ok?"

He didn't hear her. He retaliated immediately, stepping up to Travis and punching him back in his face, knocking him flat on his ass. "Shit!" Travis cried out, holding his nose from which blood was pouring out of.

He started to get up and Marshall grabbed him by the throat. He pushed Travis up against his car and Danielle quickly jumped in between them. She put hers hands on Marshall's chest trying to restrain him. Rage was burning deep in his eyes and he had a crazy look on his face. She had never seen him like that before. Her heart raced in fear. "Stop!" she said to both of them.

"Knock it off, both of you!" she cried, her eyes wide and pleading.

"Travis, please, just go home! Come on Marshall, let him go!"

Marshall held onto Travis's throat for another second, then pushed him hard against the car and released him. "You stay the fuck away from my girl." he threatened in his deep voice.

Travis rubbed his hand against his throat but he said nothing. He stepped back, glaring at Marshall and got into his car. Danielle grabbed Marshall's arm and led him up to her apartment. A nasty bruise was starting to form on his cheek, and Danielle brought him in and had him sit down on the couch while she got him some ice. Justine stared at him. "What the heck happened to you?" she asked.

"Travis was waiting for me when we got back." Danielle answered for Marshall as she brought him an ice pack.

He took it and put it on his face while glancing around Danielle's apartment for the first time. It was really nice, yet another reminder how out of his league Danielle was. "Oh." Justine said, needing no further explanation. "You hit him back?"

Marshall nodded and grinned slightly. Danielle sat down next to him and kissed him. "Mars kicked his ass. I think it scared the shit out of him." she said proudly.

Justine smiled. "Good. It's about time somebody taught that boy a lesson."


	3. 3 little words

Sorry it took me so long to put up a new chapter! I've been pretty busy lately, but thanks again for the reviews! Hope you enjoy this next part!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Danielle stood up on the small stage in the back of the crowded bar. A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead as she glanced nervously out at the expectant faces staring at her. She started to strum her guitar and sing. Almost everyone stopped talking so they could hear her. Steadily her voice grew louder and more confident as she sang.

Danielle and Marshall had been together for four months now, and they had came with Marshall's roommate Drew to this bar earlier in the week. They had overheard one of the bartenders complaining to someone about how the scheduled performer for Friday had cancelled, and they had no to fill the empty spot. Marshall encouraged Danielle to offer to sing Friday if they wanted her to. She said something to the bartender and he told her she'd have to talk to the bar's manager.

The manager asked Danielle if she could sing something for him so he could tell if she was good enough. She did, and he quickly agreed to let her perform Friday. Marshall was thrilled for her and couldn't wait to hear her.

So Friday came, and before she knew it Danielle was up on stage under the glare of a small spotlight. Marshall had brought her there with Justine, and they stood amongst the others in the bar. Danielle loved that they had come to see her, but it also made her more nervous.

As she stood there playing her guitar and singing, she spotted Justine and Marshall. Justine gave her a huge grin and a thumbs up in encouragement. Danielle caught Marshall's eye and he flashed her that incredible smile of his. Just seeing him calmed Danielle down incredibly.

When she finished her first song, everyone applauded her and a few even whistled. Justine let out a loud whoop and cried out, "I love you Danielle!" A little childish, but they were best friends like that.

Danielle continued with the other three songs she had prepared, and Marshall never took his eyes off her. After she was done, she received another round of applause as she exited the stage. The bar manager came up to her and congratulated her as she put her guitar back into its case. "You're really talented young lady." he said. "I'm actually glad the other guy cancelled, every really liked you."

"Thank you." she blushed.

Marshall and Justine came up to her. Justine gave her a big hug. "Oh my God, you were great!" she exclaimed.

"You were amazing." Marshall agreed stepping up to her for his turn. He embraced her and kissed her tenderly.

"Thank you guys, it really means a lot to me." Danielle said.

Just then Naomi and her boyfriend Chris came up to Danielle holding hands. Naomi hugged Danielle as well. "Hey girl! That was awesome! I managed to sneak out of work early enough so I could be here to see your last two songs!" Naomi told her.

Chris told Danielle good job and she thanked them both as well. Marshall slipped his arm around her waist and they all headed towards the bar counter. A few guys started to approach Danielle, but they quickly backed off when they saw Marshall with her. They found an open table in the corner and they ordered a round of drinks.

"Come on Chris, let's go dance," Naomi said as she pulled Chris to his feet.

"I guess we're dancing." he shrugged sheepishly and let himself be pulled out onto the dance floor where the DJ already had the music jamming.

Justine had already spotted an attractive guy and she smiled at Danielle before leaving the table to pursue him.

"Guess it's just you and me." Marshall said and kissed Danielle's neck, his fingers gently tracing over her exposed shoulder blades.

"I wanna dance." she said, tugging on his hand. Marshall hesitated. "I'm not very good at dancing." he admitted.

"You don't have to be," Danielle purred, trying her best to get Marshall to get up. She knew he was stubborn. She kissed him, her tongue flickering on his lips, teasing him. She pulled away and got up. "Come on baby."

Marshall gave in. He hated it when Danielle teased him like that because she'd always get her way when she did. They walked out towards the mass of sweaty bodies. The atmosphere of the bar had quickly changed since Danielle had performed.

Danielle started to move her hips sensually. Marshall wasn't sure of what to do, so Danielle took his hands and put them on her hips. She pressed herself up against him as she continued to dance. Marshall started to get the hang of it and he began to move a little, pulling Danielle even closer.

Their bodies moved in rhythm and Danielle spun around so her back was to Marshall. He pulled her back up against him and his hands traveled over her waist. Danielle could feel Marshall's excitement, and that excited her. They continued to dance like that for a while and then they left the dance floor hand in hand. Danielle found Naomi and Justine and told them that her and Marshall were leaving. They said their good-byes and Marshall escorted Danielle out of the bar after she grabbed her guitar.

They headed out to the truck and Marshall threw Danielle's guitar into the bed. She climbed into the driver's side and scooted into the middle. Marshall got in after her but didn't start the engine right away. He reached over to her and brought her face to his. He kissed her gently at first, but his kiss quickly became deep and his tongue pushed its way into her mouth.

Instead of pulling her closer to him, Marshall told her to move over a little more. Danielle complied, and moved into the passenger seat. Marshall climbed over into the middle of the truck so they'd have more room. Danielle straddled him, her knees planted on the seat on both sides of his legs. He kissed her again and grabbed her butt, pulling her closer.

Danielle's short, strapless dress started to ride up her thighs even more as Marshall pressed her body against his. His hands made their way to her breasts and Marshall's breath grew heavier as his fingers groped them. "Mars, what is it with you and trying to get lucky with me in your truck?" Danielle joked.

"Well, it's not just my truck. I also try to get lucky with you in your apartment and in my apartment, and in your car…and just about everywhere else." he grinned at her.

Danielle sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I can't help it. I'm a man. That's what men do. And you're absolutely gorgeous and I want you more than anyone I've ever laid eyes on." he kissed her.

"You're such a liar."

"No, I'm not. I want you so _bad_, and I'm gonna keep trying to get lucky with you everywhere we go until you finally let me." Marshall said in his deep voice.

"And then what? Then you'll leave me?" Danielle asked almost accusingly.

Marshall looked her in the eyes and gently put his hands on both sides of her face. "I would never, never leave you. Ever." he said honestly. "You're my girl. I would never do something like that to you."

Danielle smiled hearing the emotion in Marshall's voice. She knew he was telling the truth. Marshall kissed her on the forehead. "You're my girl." he repeated softly, stroking her hair.

He didn't try to go any further with her. He kissed her one last time and helped her off of his lap. Danielle settled down beside him as he put the truck in drive and pulled out of the parking lot. She took his hand and he started to drive back to her apartment.

"Wait," Danielle said. "Go down by the beach. You know that abandoned parking lot down there?"

Marshall nodded.

"Go there. I want to show you something."

Marshall didn't argue with her, and he turned the truck towards the beach. They drove until they reached the parking lot that Danielle had mentioned, and Marshall pulled in. It was completely empty except for two lonely overhead street lamps that illuminated it.

Marshall parked the truck and looked around. "Get out." Danielle told him.

"Alright."

Marshall climbed out of the truck and turned around to help Danielle out, but she sat down in the driver's seat and turned the engine back on. "What are you doing?" Marshall asked her, quite confused.

"Go around and get back in." she said and closed the driver's door.

Marshall started to object, but he thought better of it and went around to the passenger side and hopped in. "Now what?" he asked.

"Now you hold on!" Danielle yelled as she threw the truck into gear and pressed the accelerator to the floor.

They were both jerked forward and Marshall cried out in surprise. Danielle had a tight grip on the wheel and she started to do donuts right there in the parking lot. She was screaming in excitement as the car spun around and around, and Marshall nearly fell out of his seat.

Finally Danielle stopped the truck. She sat there laughing and Marshal ended up laughing too. Danielle smiled at him and turned on the radio. "Now I'm gonna teach you how to dance for real." she said, cranking the volume up.

Danielle got out of the truck, but rolled the window down so the music could be heard. Marshall got out and went over to her. "Give me your hand." she instructed.

He gave it to her and she rested her other hand on his shoulder. Marshall knew to put his other hand on the small of her back. "Alright now, you're the leader, and I follow. The man always leads." Danielle told him.

She proceeded to show him how to dance correctly as the music filled the night. Suddenly, thunder boomed overhead and it started to rain. They made no move to get back in the truck; they were lost looking into each other's eyes.

Marshall held Danielle close, and they continued to dance in the rain. He kissed her and she wrapped both of her arms around his neck and kissed him back. They stood there holding onto each other for a few more minutes until they decided they were soaked, then they got back into the truck.

Marshall drove Danielle back to her apartment soaking wet, and she leaned in to kiss him goodbye before she got out of the truck. "Thank you so much for being there for me tonight." Danielle said.

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world." he whispered.

"I'll call you later to say goodnight, okay?" Danielle paused, not really wanting to leave.

Marshall took her hand in his. "Alright baby." He also paused. Danielle started to get out because she knew if she didn't then, she never would. "Danielle, I love you." he said.

Danielle grinned. They hadn't actually said 'I love you' to each other yet. "I love you too, Mars." She had been dying to tell him that.

She kissed him one last time then slipped out of the truck. She picked up her guitar case from the back and waved good bye before heading up to the complex. Marshall gave a small wave back and smiled. He drove back to his apartment, Danielle never leaving his mind, no even for a second. He was completely in love with her.


End file.
